Starbucks bagel lady & specifying order

[Red Panda]

Instead, she insists on making a pest of herself by ordering a "small" or "large" cup of joe.

Yesterday's breakfast-bagel tussle heated up when the barista told the prickly prof that he wouldn't serve her unless she specified whether she wanted a schmear of butter or cheese -- or neither.

"I yelled, 'I want my multigrain bagel!' " Rosenthal said.

Its a lady who is proud of being a pest shouting when asked how she wants her bagel prepared. The barista probably wanted to make sure he had it right since this lady would complain otherwise because she is so entitled that she makes trouble on a regular basis.

Plus there is the fact that corporate places like this have a procudure you get in trouble if you don't follow. Burger King isn't asking if you want fries because they think you forgot, the company wants the money and the employee has to ask you. They are also regulated in how they can word things. I worked in phone sales and the customer had to confirm the order in a certain way or else I would get in trouble.

Frankly, I would think a person who has had such trouble with outragous customers who want special treatment would understand how it could happen but that assumes your stories are true.

[Plaidman]

Frankly, I would think a person who has had such trouble with outragous customers who want special treatment would understand how it could happen but that assumes your stories are true.

No. I just never let any customer have special treatment. Everyone is equal, until they abuse others. To me, not hard to understand that a toasted multigrain beagel is just that. A toasted mutligrain beagel.

Even I agree about the small/large/tall/venti shit. But that's at LEAST on the menu, so you can order ether or in my world.

If someone said bagel, they'd get the bagel plain.

They want beagle with cheese, they get bagel with cheese.

They want bagel with butter, they get a bagel with butter.

I understand that clerks need to do the whole make money by annoying customers with needless shit,

But when she said the SECOND time before she snapped, she wanted a plain bagel, that should have been a clue. Instead, the clerk demanded more.

[Rebel]

But when she said the SECOND time before she snapped, she wanted a plain bagel, that should have been a clue. Instead, the clerk demanded more.

But that's just the thing. She never actually said "Plain".
She just started yelling that she wanted a multigrain bagel, but didn't elaborate.
Then she started cursing.
I'm not really on her side.

[protege]

You: Cheese Beagle. A beagle with just cheese!

I don't know why, but the image of a dog covered in cheese strikes me a freaking hilarious

I'm a bit on the fence with this one. Why?

I *hate* suggestive selling. To me, if I wanted something extra, I'd have asked for it, or it would already be in my hand. The first time I'm asked, I'll reply with a "no thanks," and things go on. However, if I get asked again and again, my politeness meter starts moving toward the red zone. I don't like being ignored, and neither do most people.

On the other hand, the woman should have been more clear as to what she wanted. By "plain bagel," did she want one without nuts/raisins/poppies/sesame seeds...or one of those bagels with nothing on it? That's why I always try to be as clear as I can when ordering something. That way, there's no confusion, and I leave a happy customer

[ZedOmega]

I just finished reading the article. I never in my life thought I'd ever say this, but I'm siding with the barista on this. She threw a hissyfit over the question 'butter or cheese with that?' just to be a bitch. Seriously, what was stopping her from just saying 'Neither one, thanks'? And comparing Starbucks to Burger King didn't help her case any. Never mind the fact that Burger King has their own script, as do any other fast food restaurant or coffee shop in existence. That woman just wanted to be a cunt, that's all. Anyone that knows me well enough knows I don't use that word very often to describe anyone, but that woman went beyond 'bitch' in my book.

Plus, she went to Starbucks for a bagel... in Manhattan. That's like living in El Paso and getting Mexican food from Taco Bell.

[Red Panda]

Her analogy doesn't even make sense. If you order a plain burger at Burger King you might get a burger with nothing on it but the meat, or maybe to another person a plain burger has condiments but not cheese and lettuce. Not being clear for no reason only hurts you. This lady just likes to complain.

[draggar]

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you some related Ill Will Press videos!

(Language warning)

http://www.illwillpress.com/coffeehouseYT.html

http://www.illwillpress.com/smlYT.html

We now bring you back to your locally scheduled Fratching thread.

Carry on.

[Anthony K. S.]

I'm just wondering if this woman started the yelling and name-calling before or after the employee refused to serve her.

Rosenthal asked for a toasted multigrain bagel and became enraged when the barista followed up by inquiring, "Do you want butter or cheese?"

It rather sounds to me like the customer became hostile as soon as the barista asked the follow-up question. If so, it could be that the employee dug in his heels and refused to serve her in response to her becoming belligerent, and not the other way around, as some people seem to think.

There's also the possibility that this was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

Instead, she insists on making a pest of herself by ordering a "small" or "large" cup of joe.

The article didn't specify if she went to the same Starbuck's restaurant when she did all of this. But if she did, then it could be that she finally tried their patience one time too many, and they simply refused to give in to her.

Of course, she doesn't see it that way. No, in her mind, she's taking a stand for some sort of principle.

"Linguistically, it's stupid, and I'm a stickler for correct English."

What you are, lady, is nuts.

IMO, of course.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Just would like to point out that I used to work in a pizza takeaway place and we had a script that we had to follow exactly whenever we took an order. We also had to ask "Would you like some garlic bread or a dessert?" after we'd taken their order, which I'm sure was irritating, but we had no choice but to follow the script.

This woman needs to be forced at gunpoint to work in a food place with a script for a month; perhaps after that she might finally lose the telegraph pole that's obviously rammed up her arse.

[Peppergirl]

I'm with AA -

I just can't take anything this woman says seriously, because she's in NYC ordering a BAGEL from fucking STARBUCKS!

They have the best bagels in the world in NYC, for chrissakes.

Total and complete moron.

[Jack]

Thanks for all the posts. I was interested to see other lines of reasoning on this.

[bunnyboy]

I'm with AA -

I just can't take anything this woman says seriously, because she's in NYC ordering a BAGEL from fucking STARBUCKS!

They have the best bagels in the world in NYC, for chrissakes.

Total and complete moron.

I'd disagree with the best bagels.... wait forgot the really good Deli here in seattle (aside from all the Mediterranean ones) is actually an NYC deli, hell the owner (who stops by my store on his way to work) still has his accent and the fact that he flies to NYC seemingly every 4 weeks makes me want to find this place.

[Nyoibo]

I see this as no different to McD's asking "did you want fries with that?" you say "no" or "No thankyou" and simple, it's done and over, you get what you ordered.

[Lace Neil Singer]

It's certainly not a reason to throw a massive bloody tantrum over. Honestly, some of these SCs are worse behaved than toddlers. -.-

[lordlundar]

Let it happen to you guys. See how quick you change your tone when the clerk refuses to take any order from you unless it's exactly how they want to hear it without any tips.

You: I want a beagle with cheese.
Them: Sorry, retry.
You: ... I want a cheese beagle....?
Them: Sorry, retry.
You: I just want a cheese beagle!
Them: Sorry, retry.
You: Cheese beagle with nothing on it!
Them: Sorry, retry.
You: Cheese Beagle. A beagle with just cheese!
Them: Sorry, retry.

Ad infinite, untell you tell them "May I have a Cheese covered heated plain beagel, please"

Sorry, I would leave long before that point. I'm never that desperate to have to deal with someone with less intellect than a 20 year old computer game. (look up 'parser interface' to understand)

Both were idiots as far as I'm concerned. As said before, a simple solution if both sides chose to use their brains. Neither chose to and the issue escalates.